2022 NAAG Legislative Victories
As the chief legal officer of their state, attorneys general often provide important input on both regulatory and legislative proposals. This input is often provided through the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG). As a nonpartisan organization, NAAG engages in policy advocacy only when an issue has bipartisan support from a majority of attorneys general….
NAAG Urges DEA and SAMSHA to Extend Telehealth Capabilities for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
A bipartisan group of 45 state attorneys general urge the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to permanently extend telehealth flexibilities after the expiration of the public health emergency for prescribing buprenorphine, one of three Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medications for treating opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine…
Predatory and Unethical Practices in Substance Use Treatment, Part 1
The first training of this series addresses foundational concepts regarding substance use disorders, the treatment landscape, and relevant policy and legal considerations. Participants will also hear from people with lived experiences in navigating substance use treatment for themselves or loved ones including unethical, predatory, and fraudulent practices. The second training in this series, hosted on…
COVID-19 and Its Impacts on Substance Use and Overdose
Provisional Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) data show that U.S. drug overdose deaths increased by 30% in 2020 from the prior year, reaching an all-time high. Increases in overdose deaths were reported for synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl), natural or semi-synthetic opioids (e.g., prescription pain medications), psychostimulants (e.g., methamphetamine), and cocaine. In many ways,…
Recent Congressional Action on Substance Use and What to Expect this Year
On Capitol Hill, there has been a flurry of activity on legislation related to expanding access to medication for opioid use disorder treatment, extending the classification of illicit fentanyl analogues as Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), and removing barriers to financial services for cannabis-related businesses. As the 117th Congress continues, below is…
NAAG Asks FDA for Progress Update Under the SUPPORT Act
We have witnessed first-hand the devastation that the opioid epidemic has wrought on states in terms of lives lost and the costs it has imposed on our healthcare system and the broader economy.
Attorneys General Push FDA to Examine Progress in Opioid Fight
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to examine recent progress in the agency’s fight against the opioid epidemic. The bipartisan coalition of state and territory attorneys general is seeking a progress report regarding recent steps taken by the FDA to…
NAAG Endorses Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues (SOFA) Act
States and localities are on the front line of this crisis and are a large part of winning the battle from both a law enforcement and public health perspective.
AGs Urge Health Insurance Companies to Reduce Provider Incentives for Prescribing Pain Killers
The undersigned State Attorneys General are urging America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) to take proactive steps to encourage your members to review their payment and coverage policies and revise them, as necessary and appropriate, to encourage healthcare providers to prioritize non-opioid pain management options over opioid prescriptions for the treatment of chronic, non-cancer pain.
All 56 State and Territory Attorneys General Ask Congress to Permanently Classify Fentanyl-Related Substances as Schedule I Drugs
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Senate leadership, urging Congress to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. All 56 state and territory attorneys general signed the letter asking Congress to…
